Winter Says Goodbye
by i'll kill you
Summary: How much could someone trust a person who had already done him wrong? HitsugayaXHinamori fic.
1. Chapter 1

This is my first fic, so please go easy on me. It's a HitsugayaXHinamori fic, and though it doesn't seem much like a tragedy or angst, I promise I'll get to that soon enough.

Chapter 1: A Give-Away for Winter

Everything went from bad to worse. Or at least they seemed to do so.

In the confines of the 4th squad's building lay a seemingly lifeless form, that though this creature may seem to be living, she lay there on the bed covered in a white sheet; lay there, and simply, she existed. Lying frail as a snail without its shell, there she was.

Hinamori lay there on a hospital bed, after so much as twenty years. She had spent this much time lying there unmoved, barely clinging to life. Not with the burning gaiety of life, nor at least a dull glimmer from her eyes. Simply nothing. There had been word from Unohana-taichou that her case was more of a game of chance in some consideration: she may choose to live and after some time awake from her dreary state, but otherwise, she'd drown in her own nightmares and never come back.

She had been there since the day Aizen had stabbed her and left Soul Society with much yearning for what he deemed greatness; to search for the glory of being a god. And all the while, there had been a certain white-haired captain that had always been there, sitting beside her; telling her tales from outside the four corners of the room that contained her, all the while waiting for her to return.

The tenth division's captain was always there for her. And everyday, he would come by and pay her a visit; at first, just sitting by her side or taking a look at her from across the room with not much of a word from him. But later on, the chains in his mind that confined him from reaching out to her had been broken, and he, from then on, started to open himself to her, that even though his voice reached nothing more but ears of a person that was almost as much as dead, he continued to tell her what he prayed to want to tell. And there were also times that after he talked about matters that were revolving around the outside realm of that forsaken state that she was in he would tell her to come back in different ways. Sometimes, he held her hand, which was as most surprisingly warm, still lingering with the warmth of life. And sometimes he'd brush the hair that sometimes covered her face due to a breeze that ran past her window. He'd look at her with a certain concern that burned brightly in his deep blue eyes. If Kami-sama had been spoken to and asked about it, he'd probably refer to this as routine. It'd be boring to the omniscient since he'd see this everyday. Yet his routine of sorts never affects him in this way. All that he ever sees in his visits is his wish. That she'd come back.

And to some, it was just like wasting a coin on a wishing well.

Yet on one freezing night, maybe the wishing well he'd wasted his fortunes on just paid him back.

The freezing snow had been beating the roof as a signal of winter's dominance. The white, frozen rain had washed everything to a pure color. Sleeves of ice and snow trickle down the roofs of the buildings in Seiretei, and a blanket of ice had covered the ground. A freezing climate, indeed, yet the fall of this white rain was not much like that of a storm; it was more of a slow, calm fall, like they were made of feathers and slowly falling to the ground at their own natural state. This serene display was being watched from the safe confines of a hospital bedroom of the 4th squad.

And as usual, he sat by her side. This time, he looked outside of the window and watched as the frozen rain slowly dropped from the sky.

"Hinamori, take a look at the snow; it's telling us that winter has come. I bet it's going to be cold sooner than we'd pretty much expect," he then forced himself to a bitter smile. "At least it's a bit easier for me in this kind of weather. But you know that already, right?" He then held her hand. "I bet that you'd like to see the snow fall this winter. Do you remember back when we were still in Junrinan? You always liked to watch the snow fall, even though after doing so you'd always catch a cold. I told you back then that it's stupid since you always get a cold for something as trivial such as that. You'd play outside even though it's snowing already."

"If you'd just open your eyes and watch it with me, Momo…" Hitsugaya's voice faded. "I'm sure that you'd like it." He went on even though his voice fell upon seemingly deaf ears. Those at least belonged to someone who wouldn't answer back. He slowly released her hand from his. "Well, I have to go for now, Hinamori. There's still some paperwork left at the desk in my office. You know, Matsumoto leaving her paperwork as always. I'll be going. Get well soon."

He stood from where he sat and turned away from her; and walked outside of the confines of her room. He walked towards his division's office slowly, as if he was somewhat taking time to appreciate the pureness and serenity of the surroundings. His eyes were somewhat dulled; though they still had brightness in them, the former glimmer of his blue eyes have been radiating less than before. Finally, he reached the doorstep of his office. He opened the door and looked around; nothing much has changed. He was already expecting it but at least he wanted change for sometime. Empty sake bottles, a seemingly mauled couch, and to put it simply, a big fussy mess. He sighed. Well, he thought he could at least ask his busty vice-captain to clean up the mess when she got back. He sat down by his desk and started working on the stack of papers that were filed neatly. He didn't really expect her to do at least some of the paperwork that was piled up there. He stopped thinking about it and focused clearly on the task at hand.

He continued to read and sign the papers that were by his side. Looking closely at each of them and making any necessary orders or so. He took a look at his clock, it read 10:00 PM. 'Hmmm… I've been doing a lot. I haven't noticed the passage of time.' As far as he could remember, he arrived at about 3:00 PM at his office. He resumed his focus to his work.

Suddenly, his door flew open and he was taken aback, somewhat startled.

"TAAAICHOOOOOOU!!!!!" His busty vice called.

His brows furrowed. "What the hell is it now, Matsumoto?!" he shouted. However, he was kind of puzzled as with the look of concern on her face. Lowering his voice and resuming a calmer demeanor, he continued. "What's the matter?"

She was panting, with sweat trickling down her head. "It's a message from the fourth division… Hinamori… Hinamori's missing from her hospital bed!"


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for those guys that reviewed my first chapter. I really appreciate it. Oh and by the way, in case you were wondering about Hitsugaya getting any taller after twenty years, I'll explain to you how I got it:

You see, in Rukia's case, she looks like a fifteen year-old girl despite her age which is about 150 (when she told Ichigo that she was about ten times his age. So it'll be 150). If that is her equivalent age 150:15, it'll come down to 10:1. I estimated Hitsugaya to be looking like a 13 year-old guy, so if I wanted him to look like a 15 year-old guy as tall as Ichigo, then I'd add a two-year equivalent, in that case, 20 years. That's why it is 20 years.

Chapter 2: Cold Warmth

"It's a message from the fourth division… Hinamori… Hinamori's missing from her hospital bed!"

"What?! When did you hear about this?"

"I've just heard about it before I came in here. I met a fourth division member that was just on his way here to tell you. He told me all about it. It's just a hunch, but she'd been missing for about 2 hours, according to him."

His formerly-resumed demeanor returned to its expression before, his brows being furrowed. "Matsumoto, stay here and watch the office for a while. I'm going out. Take any messages meant for me."

"Hai, taichou."

He walked out of the office. Using shunpo, he moved from place to place, looking for a certain Hinamori Momo. Snow was falling as light as a feather. Despite the cold weather, he continued his search, ignoring the freezing surroundings covered in his element.

He paused for a while and looked to his left. There under the snow-covered sakura tree. He used shunpo and instantly reappeared there. He stopped in his tracks. He stared at a brown-haired individual that stood before him, facing away and looking at the falling snow.

"I heard that you paid me a visit every now and then when I was still in a coma. Unohana-taichou told me that you came there almost every day as long as you found time…"

"…"

"Snow is really beautiful, isn't it? It falls down slowly from the sky as if it wants to drown away everything in its purity. Even though the world itself is in chaos and is falling apart, it doesn't mind as long as it is time for it to fall down. It does not fear to fall down on the ground even though its pure state may be drowned in a sea of blood. As long as it is time, it will fall and wash away everything to remind us of the purity that is still there. Maybe people take this for granted, but I myself see this more and don't mind basking in the cold bashes that protect it, as long as can reach for that and wash away those that I never wish to remember."

"…"

"But you know what? Even though I want it to wash those stains away, it does nothing more but to remind me of those things. Even though I want it to take away everything, it just brings back the scars that I want to heal."

"…"

"Then I remembered it now. You own the frozen skies, right? You are the one that commands the white serenity to hail down to us. You wash away everything for all of us…"

"…"

"But I just wonder: is it possible for him that commands this, the one that could drown away the miseries of the world, to wash everything away for someone that has stained that purity of his? Is it possible for you to still wash away every thing that stains the individual who stained you herself?"

"Hinamori…"

"I just wonder, Shi- no, Hitsugaya-kun, why do you still do so much for someone who had done you so much wrong?" Her voice was not as stable as it was before; it was now faltering, and slowly breaking into small sobs. She faced him, tears trickling down her creamy white cheeks. "Why? Why do you still care for me after what I've done?"

He heaved a sigh. "Hinamori… no matter what you think of it, I will still be here by your side. No matter how grave you think your sin against me is, in fact, there is none. Even if it takes every ounce of my strength to summon a hailstorm that would be enough to drown your pains, I'd do it," he paused. He brushed away a stray piece of hair on her face, cupped her cheek and wiped the tear away from her eye. "I promise you, I would never let you bear this much pain again, even if it kills me."

Her small sobs broke out and she burst into tears. He grabbed his haori and rested her head on his chest. He hugged her softly and let her cry her pains out on his chest, every little teardrop carrying more than a decade of misery. He brushed her hair as he held her close to him, letting her bask in his warmth.

"Everything's gonna be alright, Hinamori."

Those sobs of her had slowed down to a near halt as he continued to brush her hair with his warm hands; soft even though they had been tamed by years of combat.

"Arigatou, Shiro-chan…"

He sighed and let his smile show. It was a smile that was especially reserved for her.

She looked up to him, wiped her tears away and smiled. "You've gotten a lot taller, neh, Shiro-chan?"

He scowled but the smile still lingered on his lips. "Baka bed-wetter Momo…" His thoughts were on to something as of that moment…

_Welcome back, Hinamori_

* * *

Days, slowly becoming weeks, and later, months, had passed since her awakening and reintroduction to the world around her. She'd warmed up to her friends once again, and resumed her duties as the vice-captain of the 5th division. Filling out paperwork that was due for her division was her duty as of then. The paperwork that had been coming in for the last twenty years had been handled by the tenth division as well as some seated members of the 5th. She had been slowly recovering and somehow been able to do these things gradually. 

And again, routine kicks in. Despite the heavy load of paperwork that flows into the tenth division, Hitsugaya stills finds time to pay Hinamori a visit every now and then, sometimes over a cup of tea at her apartment or her office, and sometimes over lunch. Whatever the case, he'd at least drop by.

He'd occasionally see her by the sakura tree where they had talked again after she woke up. She'd stare into the view before her, sometimes into the pitch black of the coming dark, or the beautiful gleam of the sunset as the day gives its way into night. And after a little while, he'd approach her and sit by her side under the tree, and she'd rest her head on his shoulder, without much of a word between them. Just complete deafening silence. It went on like that every time he found her there.

And there came that night when the silence between them was broken.

As by occasion, she was there under the sakura tree with him, and as by occasion, her head rested on his shoulder. However, this time, he made a move to break the occasional silence between them.

"Hinamori…"

"…hmmm?"

"I'll be going to Hueco Mundo for a special assignment… the others were already assigned to stay on the living world since the information told us that the arrancar would be there, as well as Ichimaru and Tousen. With that, the rest of us are going to be sent there to battle with them, while I track down…" his voice slowly faded and trembled upon the next word "…Aizen."

She looked up to him with teary eyes, yet those that glimmer with hope.

"You're going to bring him back, right, Hitsugaya-kun? If the operation on the living world becomes successful, and Ichimaru is killed, then it'll break his control over Aizen-taichou, right? Then he could come back here as well…"

Hitsugaya didn't make any sound or move. Just with those deep blue eyes that bore sadness, he looked at her, who pretty much believed in what is deemed as a mere illusion. Not even a sigh came out from him. Her hand made a move and reached on to his, locking it on him.

"…please, Hitsugaya-kun…bring him back…"

And once again, he saw those tears fall down and trace her cheeks. Those were tears of bittersweet sadness, he noted. He knows more than what others may see from her.

He wiped those tears away from her face and cupped her cheek. Without much of a word, he stood up and left.

_I was scared. Yes, I was scared this might turn up as it is…_

_I'm tired from what had already transpired for the past years, maybe tired because of how things turned out to be, unprepared even though I had taken every measure to prepare myself for it. I have given everything already…_

His brow furrowed in deep thought as his scowl was even worse than usual.

_How long must you wait for him, Hinamori? How long?_

_It doesn't matter how long, though. I will wait for you._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Season Leaves

"Tenth division captain Hitsugaya Toshiro is requested as of this moment to report to the office of the 1st division for further clearance on your transport through the Senkai Gate reroute as a Garganta. Furthermore, issuance of the clearance will be done after confirmation of your capability on opening a reverse Garganta to Soul Society. Further instructions shall be issued upon your arrival at the office."

Hitsugaya let the hell butterfly flutter away from his finger. He heaved a sigh and placed his usual cold mask on his face. Without so much of an expression of his face, he walked towards the first division's office, with those thoughts of Hinamori still lingering in his mind, albeit bothering him.

"…_please, Hitsugaya-kun…bring him back…"_

_It's alright, Hinamori. I understand what you're going through right now. I'm sorry that I cannot give you what you ask of me. I'll understand whatever you may feel against me after what I am about to do._

He stopped right in front of the captain commander's doorstep.

"Tenth division captain Hitsugaya Toshiro reporting for the requested meeting and issuance of clearance on the assignment for an operation on Hueco Mundo."

"You may come in, Hitsugaya Toshiro."

"Hai."

He entered the door, seeing the looming figure of the captain commander sitting at the opposite side of the long table.

"You may take a seat, Hitsugaya-taichou."

"Hai. Arigatou, Yamamoto-soutaichou."

"Very well then. I will brief you about this assignment of yours. Some of our forces are assigned to go to the real world to face the arrancar. According to our intelligence reports, they would most likely be the Numeros and Privaron Espada. Although we also expect to see members of the elite Espada, there wouldn't be much of them present there. The rest of the members of the Espada that would not be fighting over at the living world would most likely advance an attack targeted here at Seiretei, which is why most of the captains would be staying here as well as some seated members of different assigned divisions. There is also a chance that the Exequias may join in the assault as well. We don't know that so we have to assign the rest of the captains here as well, in case it might be that way. This is the reason why you are the only one that is assigned to take this task at hand. It might be risky, but there is no other way. It must be done or else Seiretei may fall."

"I understand it well, soutaichou. There are some parameters here that indicate the specification of the use of the Garganta and reroute Senkai Gate. I've thought about them as nothing more than reiatsu fluctuations; which is why the use of them is highly specified."

"Yes, and about that. As you already know, Hueco Mundo is highly inaccessible to us shinigami. Hollows have developed a technique known as Garganta which creates a rip through dimensions, and opens the gate to Hueco Mundo. This technique is unknown to us shinigami, and the technique is quite special in such a way that even though captains have a very high level of reiatsu, they are mostly unable to open such a gate, while hollows that possess even the lowest of spiritual pressures can pass through the worlds with great ease. We hypothesized that this may be attributed to the characteristics of a hollow's reiatsu, but further study enabled us to make a similar technique, though our method wastes a great amount of reiatsu."

"So it points out that shinigami with very high reiatsu levels are the ones who may be able to do such a feat."

"As the case may be, yes, which is why it was stated there that you can only open a Garganta for a short while, allowing only one person to pass through. We have not mastered this technique to such a level of proficiency as that of Aizen and his minions. However, we have devised a way to reroute the Senkai Gate to open up a way to Hueco Mundo, devised by Urahara Kisuke. This way your reiatsu would be conserved for another Garganta on your way back."

"I see. Very well then, there is no other way."

……………..

Right there in front of the Senkai Gate he stood, with very few people around him to see him off. With his zanpakuto strapped by his back, his haori and shihakusho in check, he prepared to enter the gate.

"Neh, taichou, are you sure about this mission? It seems too dangerous. We don't know if the Exequias will be joining the assault here, so you'd be left to battle them all by yourself if they don't." The vice with ample assets asked.

"It's alright, Matsumoto. There is no other way. If I take someone with me then there would be a risk that if the Exequias do join the battle, and Seiretei would be left defenseless."

"But taichou…"

"I'm gonna be fine, Matsumoto. If things turn out the way they shouldn't, then I'd just open up a Garganta and ask for backup. Very well then, I'm taking off now."

"Hitsugaya-kun…"

He froze in his tracks, yet he didn't turn around to meet her gaze.

"What is it now, baka bed-wetter Momo?

"Hey! Don't call me that!"

He scoffed.

"I uh…I just came to see you off… that's all."

"…"

"Uh…Hitsugaya-kun?"

"Hmm?"

"Be careful."

"Hn." He grunted with affirmation.

He knew just very well what she just meant by that. Those esoteric words were specially their means of communication between them. Sure, there were squeezed-in messages between those words that they shared. He had not moved one step forward when she spoke once more. Though this time it was more of a murmur, he heard her very well.

"Make sure you come back, Shiro-chan…"

* * *

Note: 

Garganta- an opening that hollows and arrancar use to go to and fro of Hueco Mundo


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Last Flakes of Winter

He walked continually down the harsh dunes of Hueco Mundo. He kept his eyes open for any signs or traces of reiatsu. After all, he was walking on enemy territory. If anything unexpected came up, it's his funeral.

His right hand was already prepared for anything. In case he encounters an enemy, he was ready to draw his zanpakuto. His hand quickly reached for his zanpakuto's handle when he heard an all-too-familiar voice call out.

"Welcome to Hueco Mundo, Hitsugaya-taichou."

There he stood above the dunes of the hollow world. In his white hakama there he stood, with his unreadable mask on his face, those cold eyes piercing through him. His teeth gritted and his fists clenched into hard, solid fists.

"You've changed quite a bit now, eh, Hitsugaya-taichou?"

"…A-Aizen…"

"How have you been?" He asked in a sarcastic, mocking tone. "I'm sure there had been a lot of tasks lately at Seiretei. Most probably a lot of paperwork. How is Hinamori doing?"

"…y-you…have…no right to ask about her…" his voice trembled with anger.

"Oh? Don't be like that, Hitsugaya-taichou. I'd just like to know how she is doing. I heard that she's still alive, so I'd like to know. You know, if ever she misses me-"

"Miss you, huh? You bastard… you stab her, send her to a coma, break every joy and hope she ever knew… and you dare ask about her…" His fists started to shake. The bitter moments of his best friend's suffering, from the day Aizen had put that blade through her flashed through his mind. "Aizen…I…will…kill you."

"Don't go on using such harsh words, Hitsugaya-taichou. I wouldn't want to hurt you in any manner. It'd be sad for me to finish off an old acquaintance, especially the best friend of **my** Hinamori…"

"… your Hinamori? I don't ever recall Hinamori ever belonging to anyone, especially you, so…" his voice faded as he drew his zanpakuto. "…don't you ever call her yours."

Aizen continued to smile. "Now, now, don't make be so harsh to stand up against me, Hitsugaya-taichou, or else I'd be forced to kill you." He unsheathed his zanpakuto, pulling it out of its confines. His smiled wider, implying more evil for Hitsugaya to befall.

"Now, I know you've been waiting for this all the while, so you may take me on, if you dare…"

Hitsugaya charged towards Aizen. He hacked at him in Hyourinmaru's sealed form. He didn't even raise his reiatsu level from its mere state. Aizen blocked his attack, moving back a bit.

"Eh? You're not going to release your zanpakuto?" Aizen asked coolly.

Hitsugaya let a smirk cross his face. "There's no need to right now."

Aizen disappeared from his line of sight in no more than a blink of an eye.

And that smirk never left Hitsugaya's face, and now, he let a scowl escape from under his breath. He placed his zanpakuto behind him, a little further from his sheath. The sound of clashing metals is heard after he swung his zanpakuto behind his back. With his left shoulder he supported the higher end of his zanpakuto's unsharpened back. Albeit quite shaking, he was able to block an attack meant for him from behind.

"…because apparently, I've gotten quite stronger."

"I see."

He elbowed his zanpakuto's back edge, causing Aizen to be pushed back a good distance away. He repositioned his blade in front of him, this time, placing his left foot one step forward, facing Aizen sideways, with his body leaning on the advanced foot for support. He held his blade pointed at Aizen, and supported the back edge with the first three fingers of his left hand.

Aizen's formerly calm, smiling demeanor was quickly replaced by an emotionless mask that he wore by his face. Hitsugaya disappeared from his field of view, and reappeared right above him. He dodged just in time as the white-haired shinigami brought down his sword to stab him, stabbing the ground instead, the debris flying away from the point the blade had hit. Ice shards flew off in every direction from where the blade made contact with the ground.

"Destructive Art #33: Blue fire, crash down…"

A large burst of blue energy emanated from Aizen's palm, burning away those shards that were meant for him. High-pitched tinkles and crashes of ice resounded through the fields of Hueco Mundo. A shadow from above him loomed over his figure. He looked up to see a large, blue dragon soaring above the skies of Hueco Mundo, and soon ice shards rained upon him. He gathered reiatsu on his palm and formed a barrier out of it, blocking the falling wedges of frozen water that was falling upon him.

"I see you have really become stronger from our last encounter at least a decade ago. By the degree of your attack I can see that your capabilities have risen to that of at most two average captains. Highly impressive, using your zanpakuto's shikai without using the initial release command and developing a great variety of techniques from its initial capability. Aside from that, your zanjutsu skills are relatively high, each single blow is purely fatal, with high power stabs that are meant to flow smoothly into a series of attacks."

He held his zanpakuto in an inverted fashion, the blade pointing down. "Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu."

Aizen's body eroded from Hitsugaya's view, not leaving a trace of it behind, not even a hint of reiatsu. Hitsugaya smirked. He raised his zanpakuto, now pointing towards the heavens. Blades of ice rained down all around him, cutting down all those that stood in his surrounding area.

"If you're not going to show yourself, I will kill you while you hide…"

_That wouldn't be too much of a bother, Hitsugaya-taichou…_Aizen thought. _Shunpo can provide enough speed for me to dodge all of them without being detected._

Aizen continued to dodge the rain of ice falling down, when suddenly, spikes of ice erupted all over from the ground, forcing him to pause for a split second. A sword moved in to stab him, barely missing his face by a centimeter or less, scratching his cheek.

"I found you, Aizen…"

A blade dug Aizen's back, making him back away to remove that which has struck him. The crescent-shaped blade pulled away from his back, and trailed its way back to Hitsugaya's hand.

"The problem with skills using illusions is that any slight break of the user's concentration will show off with a slight spike of reiatsu, thus giving him off," he explained calmly. "…that even highly-skilled users need to maintain their concentration. That is why…"

He pointed his blade at him. "…I can kill you, Aizen Sousuke."

Blood trickled down from Aizen's cheek and back. He had never expected this to be as it is. Yet his smile once again crossed his lips.

"You really are good, Hitsugaya Toshiro. Better than I thought. Let's not waste our precious moments anymore. Now, come at me, if you want."

Hitsugaya charged at him in his former stabbing stance. His blade's tip made contact with its target's face, only to find it disappearing into a mist along with the rest its body.

"Destructive Art #90: Black Coffin…"

A large, black box began to form around him, and soon afterwards, engulfed him totally. The ex-captain turned around, no longer bothering himself with checking whether his adversary was alive or not.

The large black box soon disintegrated, leaving mists of black energy in the air. He started to walk away from the scene, only to find a pillar of ice burst out from the ground in front of him. Soon, similar pillars erupted from all around him, encasing him in a cage of ice.

"bankai…"

Aizen turned around to see a looming figure draped in wings of ice, with petals of ice standing behind him.

"Daiguren Hyourinmaru."

A smile formed around Aizen's lips as Hitsugaya's image in his bankai became clear enough for him to see. He willed his body to move but was surprised to find out that he couldn't.

It wasn't like the last time when he outmatched the tenth division's captain by a power gap worth more than a light year in greatness. This time, he noted… that his opponent's power, if not the same as, was greater than his.

"It's not like the last time when you can break my thousand year ice prison, Aizen…" his cold voice muttered. "This time…I will really kill you."

He pointed his blade at him. "Aizen…time to die…"

With an expert's touch, he rushed at Aizen, with his sword ready to pierce his opponent's chest. This time, ready to end it all.

"No! Please, don't kill him! DON'T!"

He froze in his tracks as his mind seemed to register and all-too-familiar voice ring in his ears. Was his mind playing tricks on him? Was this a hallucination? It was what he hoped. He hoped that it was the case.

But alas, the owner of the voice had really been there. It was all too real.

He turned his head to find a brown-haired girl run toward them, clutching her arm, as blood trickled down from it down to her hand, leaving a trail of blood as she moved. Her free hand held her zanpakuto, with blood trailing its edge, most probably an aftermath of an encounter with a hollow or arrancar. She had been staggering in her run; a result of a few injuries on her leg. Her hair has escaped the confinement of her bun, free to sway along with its owner and the wind's caress. Her shihakusho was torn on some parts, ruined. Tears were running down her cheek.

He was frozen on his spot. He dared not make a move. There she was, injured and all, rushing to the depths of Hueco Mundo, to see not him, but Aizen; to cry not for him, but for Aizen.

He felt a pang in his chest. Somehow, he willed that fate would not have come to be this way.

"…p-please…don't kill Aizen-taichou…"

He knew she may be killed in the crossfire, if not by Aizen's hands.

"Hinamori!" He forgot all about his fight and focused his attention to her. "Go away! RUN!--"

He focused on her too much that he did not notice what his opponent had already been doing.

"Destructive Art #31: Red Flame Cannon!"

It had been too late for him to make a move. The ice barrier was shattered and a red burst of energy blew by its contact with him, tearing away his haori and shihakusho off at most parts of his chest. Blood spurted from where it blew off from his chest, and sent him flying and rolling down at the dunes of Hueco Mundo. He slowly stood up, leaning on his zanpakuto for support, blood trickling down his arms and making its way down to the ground. He had not yet noticed yet again another kido spell cast upon him.

"Destructive Art #33: Blue Fire, Crash Down!"

The large wave of blue energy passed him by, incinerating him. He tried as hard as he could not to wail in pain as he sustained more injuries. With that opening, he was left pretty much defenseless in a nick of time. A burning pain crept up his internal organs as he felt a certain cold numbness come upon him, slightly immobilizing him.

A moment ago he had his chance. Now he was helpless.

He gagged as blood came out of his mouth. He gasped for air as each breath seemed as if it was the last grasp of air he could ever take.

He looked up as anger and fear welled inside him. Aizen walked dangerously toward the startled vice-captain, an increasing peril rising towards her with each step.

Now he was no more than a step away from her.

"A-Aizen-taichou…"

His eyes switched to those that expressed compassion and concern.

"Hinamori-kun…" he started. "I've missed you badly…"

"Aizen-taichou…"

"This is all my fault…I have no excuse for making you suffer this much, Hinamori. Please… forgive me."

Tears of hope welled up to her eyes. "A-Aizen-taichou! I knew you wouldn't do such things! You were just being controlled! You wouldn't do -"

"However," he gave her that smile he had that day he almost sent her to her deathbed. "It is as what they say: one must wipe away dust on one's own head."

She froze. Sweat trickled down all over her face. Her eyes widened as she stood and watched the former captain pull back his zanpakuto, about to deliver her the final stab. She didn't move. Or most likely couldn't. Every nerve in her body seems to have not been able to register the word 'move'.

She closed her eyes and waited for the final moment to come. Fate had already willed her to die.

Or not.

She felt a push come around her shoulder, sending her away from where she stood, still keeping her eyes shut. After a moment of tumbling and rolling down the sand, she willed her eyes to open.

There the former captain stood, with the piercing blade of Kyoka Suigetsu slicing through something. Or someone.

Crimson fluid ran down the blade and dripped down to the sandy ground. It trickled down through his legs as well. The white-haired captain had been leaning with his one hand on Hyourinmaru for support and holding the blade that had just pierced him with the other. The blade had just pierced him with its tip, yet it has been lobbed down enough in his chest to be able to stay in its position by its own. Aizen had let go of the blade, leaving it lobbed down on Hitsugaya's chest. He moved back, still holding the blade, and after a few steps he coughed up blood, but still remained standing. After coughing up some more blood, he looked at Hinamori with his deep blue orbs, and gave her a weak smile.

"Are you al-"

And he found something odd, which is why his smile faded from his lips.

* * *

Note: I got the idea of Hitsugaya's stance from Saito(Rurouni Kenshin/SamuraiX). Just take a look at Saito's stance and imagine Hitsugaya doing that. 

Most of the tricks that Hitsugaya pulled off here are things that I made up, and these show that he really has gotten stronger. With his shikai he could now pull off tricks (those things I made up) that should be classified under bankai skills with his current skill in the anime proper.

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	5. Chapter 5

Oh and I forgot to mention that Aizen used the level 90 spell (Black Coffin) in a similar manner as he did to Komamura (that time that he took the Hougyoku from Rukia's body, though I forgot what episode number that was).

* * *

Chapter 5: Winter Says Goodbye 

"Are you al-"

And he found something odd, which is why his smile faded from his lips.

Hinamori looked at him, with those deep brown orbs of hers. Funny thing, though, is the way she looked at him. It was not a compassionate or concerned look that she gave him, or at least the look that he was so much used to.

She gave him a cold look, a look that of indifference, if not hatred.

"Hi-Hinamori?" His confused mind bade him to wonder.

He felt the cold blade of Kyoka Suigetsu slide down deeper into his chest, making blood run down further and escape his lips. He looked down to see the crossguard of the blade touching his body, inferring that the rest of the blade had been slid down and a single pull would make it seem as if he was a fish that had just been gutted.

But what were worse than that were those he saw beyond the crossguard, those that were resting at the handle.

He saw those soft hands holding the handle of the blade; those soft hands that he had not long ago held every time he went to her and sat by her side. Those soft hands are now holding that bane to his life, that thing which may mean his life- or death.

His eyes had lost their luster. Those shining deep blue eyes had grown dull.

"Hi-Hinamori… w-what's going on… why…" he could only mutter them as much before blood overtook his mouth and said no more.

She answered coldly. "This is just served for traitors such as you… Hitsugaya Toshiro." He was barely standing. She continued. "Your schemes may not be known to the rest of Soul Society but only one could know so much. Your plan for the Soukyoku had failed, so you found a way to make it look as if Aizen-taichou was the one responsible for all of these things as well as the creation of the arrancar, while you yourself acted as if it were nothing and continued your duties as a captain. That time that I had been on the hospital bed I thought it had been him, but he told me that he cast Kyoka Suigetsu so that it would look that he was the one that had stabbed me, hiding the truth that you had done it, in the sense that if his efforts to stop you are futile, I would not be involved in these matters. Aizen-taichou had already foiled your plans, and the only problem now is to take the head of it all down."

She took a glance at the former captain and traitor, and then shifted back her gaze to the bleeding captain. "The only problem Aizen-taichou had is formulating a plan on taking you down, since you had been cleverly hiding yourself behind Soul Society's sleeve. So he took that chance, knowing that you would probably send the arrancar at this moment, and made you come out by making quite a commotion so Yamamoto-soutaichou would send you to come after him. He needed someone to help him out, and he told me how I could lend any assistance."

Her voice hardened. "Time to end this now, Hitsugaya Toshiro."

She twisted the blade, making him wince in pain and cough blood. She gave him a light kick, enough to remove the blade from him. He went a few steps back, but not enough to completely knock him down.

And he stood there, clutching his chest wound, wishing at least that his bleeding would slow down. At least buy him enough time to end this madness once and for all. Hope had left his eyes; they were now completely dull, devoid of anything. He fell on his knees as the bloody river continued to trail down from the sword wound. He coughed up more of the crimson liquid, making a mess of where he stood - or kneeled - at.

Hinamori slowly walked up towards Aizen. He gave her that soft smile as she handed back his blade to him, and afterwards patted her on the head.

"Well done, Hinamori-kun." He turned his gaze at the fallen captain. "You're probably wondering how I told her everything, Hitsugaya-taichou. You see, we always met under that sakura tree, that one where I'd always leave just before you come, and I always cast Kyoka Suigetsu just to make sure no one else would know I was there. We set this thing up, just that you'd know, and Hinamori-kun had been a better actress than I imagined."

_So you still believe in him, Hinamori… You believe in him, more than you would other shinigami, more than you would your friends, than you would me. _

Aizen looked at Hinamori with that same cold smile on his face. "Now, time to finish what has been started," he said, as static red energy cracked from his palm in preparation for a kido spell. He looked at her not with the soft, loving eyes he had used before, but with those menacing cold eyes he had used upon those that were meant to be butchered.

"Forgive me, Hinamori-kun…" he said in the same cold tone he used when he left Soul Society. "But you are not needed here anymore."

Her confused but frightened eyes refused to remove their focus on him. "A-Aizen-taichou… what's going on?"

"You have done your job well, Hinamori-kun… but I'm afraid that your use has already expired and now you must retire…."

"In case you're still wondering, Hinamori-kun, let me tell you this very simple reason why you are here and are about to be erased from existence," he paused, the energy in his palm growing larger. "Admiration is the emotion furthest from understanding, and now you have served your purpose to me already, so it is time to retire you for good."

Her voice had failed her as she stood there, without doing anything, even to blink. Her gaze was focused on the energy cackling on Aizen's palm, almost ready to take her out anytime now.

This time around, she really was going to die. If there was something to be done, it had to be done by that moment, or else she would end up that way. At last, her legs gave way to her reaction, as she started to run away from the man that stood just about a few steps away from her. Her fear had started to make itself known to her. She found it in those eyes that were not afraid of it, and would not hesitate to deal it to anyone he deemed worthy of it.

She feared death.

"Path of Binding #61: Six Rods Prison of Light!"

Six beams of light suddenly appeared and locked on to her midsection, immobilizing her on the spot. Tears ran down her cheeks as she moved in her place trying to break away from the binding kido that had been cast on her. Fear made its way through her trembling voice. "Please… don't kill me… Aizen-taichou… please… I don't want to die…"

"For the last time… sayonara, Hinamori-kun."

She closed her eyes and waited for death to come and claim her. She heard the loud cracking from his palm come to a halt, finally ready to let itself loose.

"Destructive Art #31: Red Flame Cannon!"

She heard the loud boom that had erupted from the source as that of the voice, and felt a heat wave approaching her, getting closer and closer each moment that passed. She can tell how close she was to death, just by the seemingly approaching flame that all the while made her feel hotter while it came. And all of a sudden, she heard a loud explosion, and the heat had stopped approaching her. The hot feeling she had a while ago had stopped from its approach, and had started fading away. Feeling a little safe, she opened her eyes.

She beheld the bleeding figure of the white-haired captain, his robe almost completely torn except for a few spots here and there, the blood covering almost his whole body with a few good stains of it on his hair, coughing it up as well. He looked at her with those bright and passionate eyes that shone full of life. There was no trace of hatred in his face, only a trace of concern and compassion.

"Hi-Hinamori…" he said in between coughs of blood. "A-Are you alright?"

Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked upon him. "Why, Hitsugaya-kun? Why did you sacrifice yourself for me? Isn't it clear to you? I betrayed you! I shoved down that sword through your chest! I'm the very reason why you're dying! Why… why are you doing this?"

He gave her a scowl that he uses much of the time. "K-Kinda figured out I was dying anyway… and th-there's no point wasting my energy in surviving if I'm gonna end that way as well."

"But why? You should've just let me die in there!"

He scoffed. "B-Baka bed-wetter Momo…" he said before breaking into another fit of blood-coughing. "A-Anyone who would let you die here… is a dumbass…"

"But you shouldn't have taken it for me!"

"You just won't understand… how much I would do for you… that I've never been good with words enough to tell you…"

With a slow but sure move, he put his lips in contact with her confused ones; at snail's pace, like he wasn't sure if she'd appreciate it, if she'd pull back, but had gained confidence as she replied to him as he hoped for her to do so.

Realization finally dawned on her. All this time she had not seen what he had gone through for her, all those things that she took for granted. He wasn't the same Hitsugaya Toshiro that she knew back then when they were in Rukongai, nor was he the cold captain of the tenth division, the boy genius.

He stood there before her, nothing more but a man who had laid out his heart on a silver platter. Vulnerable to everything that there is, to those that would prey upon it, but is willing to take it all for the one that he wants to protect the most.

And this was the man, the very good man that she had failed to notice in her blinded conviction to someone else.

A jolt in reiatsu made him pull back, turning to face a smiling ex-captain and traitor who held a semi-formed kido spell in his hand.

"Am I interrupting? I'm sorry to cut in, but…" the ball of energy cackled in his hand. "This pointless battle must come to an end."

_With my current condition, I could still finish him off with my remaining reiatsu if I'm lucky enough that he doesn't dodge in time. But there'll be no way for us to get back to Soul Society. Besides, even at her top condition, she doesn't have the ability to summon a Garganta to go back. And even if I kill him, I won't be able to summon a Garganta. Whatever I do I'll die here as well. _

Hitsugaya gathered a large amount of reiatsu in his palm, an amount which was way above a captain would use for a battle on a single strike. It was way too large for any single attack.

"…_you can only open a Garganta for a short while, allowing only one person to pass through." _

"Hi-Hinamori…" he said, not bothering to face her. She looked up to the white-haired

"I-I'm sorry that… I can't do anything more for you… I'm s-sorry that… I can no longer keep my promise… that I'll protect you always…"

"No!! Don't do this to me, Hitsugaya-kun! I-"

"Y-You must… promise me, Hi-Hinamori… that you'll live no matter what… that you'll see the s-snow fall for me…that you would let it wash away your miseries and lift every pain you have…"

Tears were running down her cheek.

"…p-promise me, Hinamori…"

The loud crack of energy from Aizen's palm reached the ears of the two shinigami. "Trying to escape, hmm? I'm sorry but I can't allow you to live now, not now that you have become too powerful, Hitsugaya-taichou… as well as you, Hinamori-kun."

"…that you'll live for me…"

"Destructive Art #31: Red Flame Cannon!"

Just as Aizen released the large ball of red energy, Hitsugaya released the great amount reiatsu he had been gathering in his palm, ripping through the fabric of space, creating a hole that looked like it was leading to somewhere. A blast of snow spurted from the hole, confirming its destination: Soul Society.

Hitsugaya moved forward, taking the blast, leaving Hinamori unscathed, not even in the slightest bit. She was forced back a bit by the incident, just a few steps from the blast. The smoke had not yet cleared when she saw a sword lunging towards her at a quick pace.

Once again, she saw the cold eyes of the ex-captain with his gaze set on her, and she saw in them the murderous intent that had been pacing towards her every second that passed.

"You're not going anywhere …"

She was just by the opening of the passage when she saw the sword aimed at her, and was just a few moments away from claiming her life. She then felt a push from her side, causing her to be thrown through the opening. She heard a faint whisper coming from whom had pushed her.

"…sayonara, Hinamori."

She could make out of the images that she saw as the smoke from the explosion had slowly cleared, and even though the opening was already starting to close, she could see enough through what remained in her field of view. And she wished she didn't see them at all.

She saw him looking at her with dull eyes, not with those deep shining blue orbs he had before, now with lifeless dull blue ones. She saw him smiling to her a bittersweet smile; knowing that he could no longer be with her, yet happy enough that he had kept her safe. He was impaled on the sharp edge of Kyoka Suigetsu, smoke still rising from his body now fully bathed in his blood and slightly burnt, as a result of the kido spell he took. He seemed as if he stood, but one knew better that the blade he was impaled on was propping him up. She saw and cried as Aizen pulled the sword through his side, nearly ripping him apart. She beheld a crimson rain that erupted from his torn side, and flooding the sand where he finally came to rest. Finally, she saw the last look on his young face; she saw the picture of a man who was contented with what he had done, one who was happy even at the final moment of his life, once again, with that reserved smile on his face.

The Garganta closed. After a few moments she found herself lying down on the soft white snow that blanketed the ground of Seiretei. She willed herself to sit up, her tears falling freely to the ground, disappearing behind the whiteness of it.

The snow continued fall, like the sky had been crying the frozen tears along with her own; as she let a loud wail spread through the silence of the night.

**End**

* * *

Note: That time that Hitsugaya opened the Garganta he had two choices on how to use his remaining reiatsu: 

1. Use it to kill Aizen, but there is a chance that he won't be lucky enough to get him in a single strike. After that moment, he is left without enough reiatsu to go home. He will die because of the wounds he sustained during the fight.

2. Open a Garganta but not have enough reiatsu to fight. In opening a Garganta he will be left defenseless and is therefore risky since Aizen will have the chance to kill him. In that case he took that chance in order to buy time for Hinamori to escape.

Please review...


	6. Message from the Author

Author's Message:

Thanks for all of you guys that read my first fic, especially those that posted reviews on it. I really appreciated your comments and those would give me ideas for future fics. Again, thank you very much!


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